Music Sounds Good to Search Republic

20 November 2013

Music Sounds Good to Search Republic

Local search marketing firm Search Republic is building on its quest to secure the best-in-class in each industry sector with a major new business win.

Audio software leader Serato brings the Search Republic stable of clients to 18 in just the seven months since opening its doors in May.

“Serato is the expert in its field and a true world leader when it comes to the music industry,” says Search Republic general manager Brad Guthrie.

“It’s an innovative Kiwi company selling to the world online and we’re now helping them do that even more effectively.”

Founded in an Auckland bedroom in 1998 and today 100 per cent staffed by Kiwis, Serato creates world leading digital software for professional DJs and musicians.

Almost all of its business is conducted in more than 70 international markets and eight out of 10 professional DJs choose Serato software equating to more than one million world-wide.

Search Republic’s other clients include on-demand sports content provider Coliseum Sports Media, who recently outbid Sky for the rights to the English Premier League, ASB Bank and Methven.

“Our business strategy is to secure the best-in-class company in each industry sector,” says Guthrie.

He says it was the in-house experience of the Search Republic team that attracted Serato.

Search Republic is a high-end search marketing agency conceived by parent company Online Republic which operates 3,500 websites generating annual turnover of in excess of $150 million in the global online travel sector.

The company has spent around $25 million of its own money refining its search marketing skills.

Interactive Advertising Bureau figures show 2012 spending on search marketing in the UK increased 14.5 per cent over 2011; in New Zealand, the increase was only 2.4 per cent.

In the same period, UK businesses spent $5.42bn on digital advertising. This makes up 36 per cent of all advertising spend. Nearly 60 per cent of digital marketing budget is spent on search.

In comparison, during the same period, New Zealand businesses spent $366m on digital advertising or 17 per cent of total New Zealand advertising spend. Around 40 per cent of digital marketing is spent on search.

“UK businesses spend close to 22 per cent of their advertising budgets on search, whereas in New Zealand, it’s only around 6.5 per cent,” says Guthrie.

“Things are starting to change slowly here in New Zealand as more and more companies realise search marketing is an important sales and marketing channel and want to leverage its full potential.”

Facts at a glance:

2012 UK NZ
Digital Ad spend $5.42bn $366m
SEM as % of Ad budget 22 6.5
SEM spends increase % 14.5 2.4
ends

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